Sisters

Today, Ella and I were talking about all the things that God created.  I asked her, "what is your favorite thing that God created?"  She said, "I like grass, and horses and bugs.  But my favorite thing that God created is Anna."   

Later, Ella was sitting with Anna and said, "You are pretty and kind.  But you are not brave.  You're still really wimpy.  When you are a big girl like me, you will be brave."

I love my girls...so thankful for the blessing of my daughters.



Straight from my Brain

A few random things:

-I tried the Shatter nail polish that I've heard so much about.  Everyone seems to love it.  Even the woman that cut Ella's hair was raving about it.  So I tried it.  I used silver shatter over bright pink polish.  It looks like somebody messed up my nail polish.  Is this the look we're going for now?  I don't get it.   Did I do something wrong?  Ella loves it, so maybe I'm just too old mature for shatter nail polish.  Thanks anyway, Santa.

-Ella and I were watching Wild Kratts this morning.  It was about elephants.  Did you know that elephants only sleep 4 hours a night?  And, they are not consecutive hours.  I think Anna is part elephant.

-I just began a sentence with "and."  My 5th grade teacher would be appalled.

-I've lost 3 pounds since Mark went back to work on Monday.  I think he is a bad influence on me.

-I told Ella to turn the TV down the other day and she refused.  So, I said, "turn it down, or I am going to turn it off."  She sighed, rolled her eyes and said, "You have SO many rules."  Is she 3 or 13??

-We haven't taken our Christmas decorations down yet.  I just can't seem to find the time, or the energy or the motivation.  I've seriously considered throwing them all away and starting again next year. 

-Ella wants to have a dinosaur party for her 4th birthday.  I would love for her to have a more girly party...like fairies or Alice in Wonderland...but, she wants dinosaurs.  Sigh. 

-I can't believe Ella is going to be 4 soon.  Wow.  That just astounds me...where has my baby gone?

-I went to the doctor the other day for my follow-up appointment.  She asked if I had felt sad or blue since the baby was born.  I honestly don't know.  With 3 kids, who has time to feel sad?  Or think about if they're feeling sad?  You know what I feel?  Tired.  That's about it.

-Since I've been writing this, Ella has colored her face and her tummy with lip liner.  Awesome.
I think that means this post is over.

**Oh, one more thing...see that gyro-bowl in this picture?  We got one for Christmas.  They are supposed to be "unspillable."  My kids spilled it twice in the first 15 minutes.  Where do we sign up for those gifted classes??

Oh Dear...

Today, I walked into the family room to find Ella lying on the floor near the fireplace, clutching her stocking.  She was sobbing and saying, "come back!  come back!  It's all my fault."  When I asked her what was wrong, she said, "I miss Santa.  I want him to come back and bring me more presents!"

Oh dear.

On another note...here are pictures of Aidan, Ella and Anna...all around 6 weeks old.  Who do you think Anna looks more like?  Ella or Aidan?  It seems that some people think she looks just like Ella and others think she looks just like Aidan.  It always amazes me how they can be such a mix...and you can see different people, depending on their expression at the time.  I'd love for you to leave a comment and let me know your opinion...just for fun.  :) 

Aidan

Ella

Anna

It's funny...I never thought Aidan and Ella looked alike, but I think Anna looks like both of them.  I love these sweet babies and their chubby, yummy cheeks!

By Faith....

I haven't posted much lately.  I have resolved to try to do better.  My pregnancy and subsequent newborn have kind of stolen all my mental energy of late.  But, I've also been pretty heavy hearted lately, and it's always more difficult for me to write from that place...a little too personal, I guess.  This past year has been a difficult one for many sweet families that are close to us.  We have many friends struggling with unbearable losses, illnesses, difficult marriages, financial problems and on and on.  My heart is broken and pained for my sweet friends, and I want so badly to be able to alleviate some of the pain and some of the struggle for them.  It is frustrating at best and agonizing at its worst.  My spirit knows that God is sovereign.  He has a plan.  He knows better than me.  He works all things together for good.  But, frankly, my flesh wants to stomp its feet and pout and scream, "that's not fair!"  And it's not fair...and it's not right.  God never intended this for us...this fallen, broken, ugly world. 

This morning, while struggling with all this, God sweetly laid Hebrews 11 on my heart...the "faith chapter" to those in the church crowd.  One, that you read so much that sometimes its meaning is lost...until you sit back and truly digest what it means.  I've read it over and over this morning, letting it be a soothing balm to the knot of pain that's been gnawing at my chest today. 

Hebrews 11 reminds us that it is not this world we're living for anyway...it is for things unseen.  I am shifting my focus, "being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see...looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God...persevering because we see him who is invisible."  I am "admitting that I am an alien and stranger on earth...looking for a country of my own...a better country, a heavenly one."  And to my friends, who find God's peace in the midst of unbelievable circumstances, and who proclaim His goodness even in the middle of excruciating pain, "the world is not worthy of you."  I admire your faith and am honored to know you and serve God along side of you.

Public Service Announcement

These are my children (2 of them, anyway):

These are my children, loaded up on sugar and up hours past their bedtime:

Don't let this happen to you or to your children.

I hope you all had a great time ringing in the New Year!

Have a great 2012.

9 Year Old Love

Today, Aidan told me that he loves me more than a Wii, an X-Box, a Playstation 3, a Nintendo DSi and a Nintendo 3Ds all put together.

That is high praise from a 9 year old boy.

Well, Aidan, I love you more than shoes and purses, more than Pinterest and facebook,  more than a new haircut and fresh highlights.  I love you more than the perfect mascara and the just right shade of lipstick.  I love you more than Paula Deen and Pioneer Woman all put together.  I love you more than distressed furniture and mod podge.  I love you more than scrapbook paper, colorful fabric and burlap.  I love you more than a good book and a hot cup of coffee.  You are one of my very favorite blessings and I love you bunches!

Love, love, LOVE this sweet boy!

Christmas 2011

I can't believe Christmas has come and gone already!  Time flies.  We had a great Christmas.  Aidan got a basketball goal, and lots of baseball equipment.  Aidan's gifts are starting to double as gifts for Mark too, because they both enjoy the same things now.  That's the thing with boys...you get to a certain age, and the interests stay the same...they just get more expensive.  Ella got horses, and a Little People zoo.  She loves anmials of all kinds.  In fact, she has a basket full of baby dolls and all their accessories in her room that she never plays with.  She will, however, use the baby bottles and her strollers for her animals. 

Ella also got lots of play doh.  She got the play doh pizza factory, the play doh ice cream shop and 4 canisters of play doh in her stocking.  That came to about 12 brand new cans of play doh...all different, beautiful colors.  Less than 24 hours after Christmas, she had 12 brand new cans of brown play doh...which is why playing with play doh with children stresses me out.  They always want to mix the colors...which would be fine if you could UN-mix the colors, but you can't.  And that stresses me out.  I try to remind myself that play doh is only 50 cents a can, and if it doesn't bother them, it shouldn't bother me, but it does.  It's one of my "things."

Aidan got several new wii games for Christmas.  One of his favorite things to do over Christmas break is stay in his pajamas and play his new wii games.  But, unfortunately, our wii broke 2 days before Christmas, and he hasn't been able to play at all.  He's been a little mopey about that, and I can't say that I blame him.  Many of his gifts were games, or skylanders.  Now, he won't be able to enjoy them until the wii is fixed, and I'm not sure when that will be.

I got a kindle from my hubby for Christmas.  I was skeptical when the kindles first came out, but I have to say, I love it.  I love being able to get books instantly...and inexpensively.  And, I love having them all in one place.  I also love that Mark knew I would love it because he understands and supports my insatiable reading habit. 

Mark got a coffee maker that he's been wanting for a couple of years.  It's the kind that has no carafe...you just put your cup up to it and out comes the coffee.  Mark says it's like having free coffee.  I hope he's not disappointed when he realizes you still have to buy coffee to go in it.  Mark makes me a yummy cup of coffee every morning (almost) and I will hardly drink coffee anymore unless he makes it for me.  He really does spoil me quite a bit.

Miss Anna Kate got a baby gym from Santa.  She was completely oblivious. 

We had a great Christmas.  This best part about Christmas for me, is having the whole family home for 2 weeks.  It always goes too fast.  I love having Aidan home all day.  As much as it pains me that he is growing up so fast, I have to say, I really like the kid he's becomig.  It's such a nice feeling when you realize you not only love your kids, but you genuinely like them too.  He's got a great sense of humor and he's very thoughtful and considerate (most of the time).  He has a variety of interests...from video games to science to sports, and he loves to read like me.  He's turning into a well rounded, pretty cool kid and I like hanging out with him.  I hate that I can already feel the return to school day looming in the near future.  Bummer.  How long until Spring Break?

Finally, I just want to say how grateful I am for Christmas...not only the gifts and Santa, and the festive decorations and the time with my family...but just for Christmas.  God has used several events in the lives of people around us lately to make me realize that without Christmas, we would have no hope.  Because of Christmas, we are full of hope!  And if that's not reason enough to wrap our entire house in lights, feast for days and spend a small fortune showering those around us with gifts, I don't know what is!  I hope everyone had a joyful Christmas.